A Lady Badger
by genies
Summary: A collection of Helga Hufflepuff shorts.
1. Chapter 1

**Prompts** : (1) Write your character being a mother/mother figure to someone. (2) "When people put you down enough, you start to believe it." - _Pretty_ Woman, and (3) Training

 **Word count** : 500

* * *

Hogwarts was finally almost constructed. As she slid one of the first stones into place on the astronomy tower, she felt strangely sad that the project was coming to an end, but more excited that another project (teaching) was beginning. All of her students had been working hard to finish the castle. After all, the ability to work hard was the trait that she chose them for. When they finished the astronomy tower and a few more wings, they'd be able to admit hundreds of more young witches and wizards from all of Britain (and perhaps even the rest of Europe, Helga mused) and give them the education they deserved.

A tiny twelve year old girl had trailed her skirts ever since arriving. She had done so since she first arrived and had barely said a word to any of her classmates. Helga accepted her into her house after Godric declared her "not brave enough," Rowena claimed her, "not quite clever enough," and Salazar decided her, "not ambitious in the slightest." When the girl stood in front of the four of them, Helga sensed a repressed magic inside of her and hoped to release it.

"What are you doing here, Gwen?" Helga bent over and smoothed back one of the girl's braids.

Gwen shrugged. "Helping you, Lady Hufflepuff."

Helga gave her a small smile. Gwen could barely do a Wingardium Leviosa, much less lay bricks. "And how are you doing that?"

Gwen returned the smile and showed her. She picked up one of the bricks lying on the ground and pushed it nearer to Helga's foot in an offering.

"Do you want to practice your levitation charms for that? It'd be good practice."

Gwen shook her head.

"Why not?" Helga asked.

"I'm not good at charms."

"And who told you that?"

Gwen shrugged again. "My brothers. Housemates. Everybody."

"When people put you down enough, you start to believe it," Helga said firmly. "And you shouldn't believe it. You are not naturally bad at charms."

"I don't know," Gwen said. "I can't even do a levitation charm."

"That's because you haven't practiced," Helga put down the stone she was placing and turned to Gwen. "Do you have your wand with you?"

Gwen nodded. She pulled it clumsily out from her sleeve.

Helga transfigured the stone into a feather and set it on the ground. She remembered the days when nobody would believe in her, either. Nobody had taken the farmer's daughter seriously, at least not until she had blasted a hole in the kitchen wall with the master's staff. Since then, she'd come so far.

"Move your hand like this," Helga instructed, showing Gwen the movement. "Can you try?"

Gwen tried her best to mimic Helga, frustration growing on her scrunched face.

"Yes, just like that. You can rest your arm. Can you say, wingardium leviosa. Focus on which syllables I've placed emphasis."

A few minutes later, she had managed to, giggling all the while, levitate the feather onto Helga's head.


	2. Chapter 2

2\. Fight with a man, wins - someone trying to attack Rowena - "If any of you sons of bitches have anything else to say, now is the fucking time!" - Kill Bill: Vol 1

Word count: 339

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Helga stormed into the Great Hall, her skirts billowing in every direction. A path cleared for her as she walked by as students leapt out of the way. Lady Hufflepuff rarely got angry, but when she did, she was more erratic than ever, and students knew to tread carefully.

"Excuse me!" She pushed aside an unsuspecting first year. "What is going on here?"

A dueling circle had been drawn near the Gryffindor table, and two seventh year boys were locked in a raging fight. Helga recognized a few of the hexes they were throwing at each other and definitely did not approve. Where was Godric when his students were acting up?

She turned back to the crowd, which was almost the entire school. "Go back to your common rooms!"

A few students near the doors began to shuffle out reluctantly. Helga turned back to the duel. With a frustrated harrumph, she slid her wand into her palm and prepared to cast a spell that would break the dueling circle. As she did so, she put up a _protego_ to protect herself from the exploding glass shards coming her way. Half a second later, both students were disarmed and staring helplessly at their professor.

"If any of you have anything else to say, now is the time!" she snarled.

She waited patiently for them to begin to explain. When neither of them was willing to talk, she continued. "I know it would out of line for me to break a duel involving two adults. Luckily, you two are still minors and subject to punishment. In addition, before you waltzed into our Great Hall, you should have done your research and found that public duels are forbidden in areas of education. First years eat here! I am disappointed in the both of you. One hundred points from Gryffindor, each. Go back to your rooms."

As they slid out of the room, Helga sighed in exasperation and rubbed her eyes. Being a teacher was more than just teaching lessons, she had learned.


	3. Chapter 3

3\. in a situation where they are being undervalued in comparison to a man - no given the chance to build the castle - "Throw me to the wolves. I'll return leading the pack."

* * *

"You think you could teach dueling, Helga?" Salazar stared her down from the end of the table. Helga looked to Godric, seated at the other end, for support. He shook his head.

"Defensive and offensive spells are important for our students' protection, especially when they are traveling or collecting potion ingredients in the wood," Helga said. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"Well, we've all agreed on that point. But why not Godric or me?"

Helga shook her head. "You two have enough on your plates already. And I am used to defending myself and I know the little tricks."

Godric interrupted her. "I thought you were enjoying charms and transfiguration. Are you worried that your students may injure you? I have no doubt that you can taken them on, but all at once?"

Helga sighed. Godric meant well, but he really shouldn't have. "Throw me to the wolves. I'll come back leading the pack."

Salazar frowned. "I know you are a ferocious mother bear when your students are involved. I'll give you one week."

Helga bristled in annoyance. "I do believe the decision is not just yours but all of ours."

He pinched his lips and waved to Rowena. "Please go ahead and vote."

Rowena locked eyes with Helga's before responding. "I believe in her."


	4. Chapter 4

4\. (1) overcoming a weakness that had overwhelmed/prevented her from progressing. (2) "Well behaved women rarely make history." - Eleanor Roosevelt (3) inspire

* * *

Helga was short, a bit stout, and definitely does not shout when she needed to. She took the kettle off the fire with a wave of her hand, mentally running through what had happened that day. An official meeting with Godric and Salazar was scheduled for tomorrow at precisely seven in the morning, and she was getting her courage together to propose a self defense and dueling class. When she went to talk to Godric, one of her closest friends, he had discouraged her, saying that nobody had the time to teach such a class, especially since it was a branch off of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Helga, feeling a little more discouraged, went to talk to Rowena.

"I don't want to make a fuss tomorrow," Helga had said.

Rowena's next words stuck with her for hours. "Well behaved women rarely make history, dear."


	5. Chapter 5

5\. (1) Write your character going through mental illness/dealing with another person's mental illness. (2) "I take a lot of crazy shit from a lot of crazy people. But you are not crazy." - Girl Interrupted. (3) empathy

Decided to change it up for a modern AU

* * *

As much as Helen liked New York City, it was almost too much for her to handle at points. Specifically, dealing with having a flatmate who teetered on the edge of a mental breakdown every other week was a bit too much, even for her. She didn't even _know_ Rowan, and yet she was the one consoling her every evening. It's not that she didn't enjoy it; she had come to grow affectionate of the other woman. Perhaps college at Barnard was taxing for even the brilliant mind that Rowan was.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Rowan turned to Helen with that look in her eye, the kind that said, _I look calm, but if you say something weird I may throw myself out the window._

Helen put down her pencil, stifling a sigh. "Not particularly. Why do you ask?"

"I always am having all these _problems_. And they don't even make sense. Logically, I know my life is amazing, but my feelings. Oh god, those things."

Helen crossed the room and smoothed back Rowan's hair. "I take a lot of crazy shit from a lot of crazy people. But you are not crazy. I promise."

"Ugh, you're so good at feelings. Give me your emotional intelligence."

"If you stop seeing them as an adversary, they become a lot easier to manage." Helen smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

6\. (1) Write your character doing something good/good for/good to someone (2) "I'm going to make real sandwiches. Big ones that a man can sink his teeth into." - Mermaids (3) create

* * *

Helga was yet again in the kitchen, teaching the elves how exactly to make Christmas dinner. Only about thirty students out of two hundred were staying over winter holiday, and Helga wanted to make them feel as if they were at home.

She had already excitedly planned what things they were going to do and had made or bought little presents for each of them. She instructed them to leave their shoes in their common room so St. Nicholas (who just so happened to be a wizard, at least before he was convicted of breaking the code of secrecy by flying around on reindeer) could come and drop presents off.

One elf named Penny walked up to her and tugged on Helga's skirt anxiously. Helga looked at Penny with a smile. "What is it?"

"Penny is going to make _real_ sandwiches. Big ones to sink teeth into."

Helga felt a warmth overcome her as she bent to hug Penny. "I'm sure they will love it."


	7. Chapter 7

7\. Write your character doing something bad/bad for/bad to someone - "A weak man can't love a strong woman! He wouldn't know what to do with her."

* * *

Helga had never stopped courting someone before. When her former student had come back (he was such a precious darling in charms class) and presented her with a rose and a letter, she, against her better judgement, had taken the gifts. She had done a bad thing. Complaining to Rowena would do no good, she knew.

Rowena didn't understand how to nicely reject someone. She was always about the truth, and Helga's truth was this: she didn't want to hurt anyone. She cursed herself for already having done so. Just by taking the gifts she had put herself in this situation.

"Godric, how do you fix this?" Helga had asked.

"Tell him the truth. The relationship would be dishonorable on your part, anyway," he said.

"I do encourage honesty, Godric, but how do I tell him?"

Godric sighed, as if Helga were being entirely wrong. "As soon as possible. It's obvious you didn't mean wrong, so just explain yourself. If he thinks he is meant to be he should take it with strength. A weak man can't love a strong woman! He wouldn't know what to do with her."


	8. Chapter 8

8\. Write your character committing/preventing a murder. - "Mothers, lock up your sons!"

Helga peered out from behind her oil canvas, trying to see if any students were hurt in the last explosion. It had occurred in the Hufflepuff girls dormitory, which Helga deduced from the general direction of noise. She had heard screaming, but no wailing, yet. Cursing her lack of peripheral vision, she slid over to the next frame. She really thought she'd get used to being trapped in 2D but she had yet to grow accustomed. Maybe another century would do it. Of course, Rowena was not in her home painting. She had probably gone to the library to instruct students to get her certain books and read her passages from them. Even in death she wanted to solve problems. Helga was going to do her best to help stop the death eaters' murders.

"Mothers, lock up your sons," Helga murmured. "And your daughters."


	9. Chapter 9

9\. Write your character protecting someone from harm. - "Where do you get off on behaving that way with women you don't even know, huh? How would you feel if someone did that to your mother or your sister or your wife?" - Thelma & Louise

"Where do you get off on behaving that way with women you don't even know, huh? How would you feel if someone did that to your mother or your sister or your wife?"

Helen was, yet again, attempting to gently tell off a stranger for whistling at inappropriate times.

"Come on, Helen," Rowan was whispering, tugging at her friend's hand. "Just let it go."

If Helen heard, she pretended not to. The man she was berating had managed to bark out a few retorts, but Helen made up for what she lacked in strength with what she had in passion. Normally, she preferred to stay out of conflict, but protecting her friends was more important.


	10. Chapter 10

10\. Write your character on her wedding day. (Can be positive or negative outcome) -  
"I've been yours since that first day you carved my initials in your leg." - The Addams Family

Helga smoothed down her dress and tightened her braid once again, nervous butterflies not fluttering but screaming in her stomach. She could feel the vibrations of their cacophony against her core. At least that's what it felt like.

She never thought getting married would be something she would be afraid of. She had wanted to get married since she was a little girl. She'd even planned her wedding (it had a lot of bunnies involved). But now that it was actually happening, her feelings had morphed from excited to anxious.

"Helga?" a familiar voice asked tentatively at the door.

She wheeled around and shut it with a flick of her wand. "It's bad luck to see the bride before the procession!"

"I know," he said, voice muffled. "I just wanted to confirm that I will be yours for sure."

"Of course. And I've been yours since that first day you carved my initials into your leg."


	11. Chapter 11

11\. Write your character having an affair/finding out husband is having an affair - "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to finish him like a cheesecake!" - Pitch Perfect

"Are you," Helga asked, "seeing anybody?"

Her husband looked up abruptly from the meal he was eating. "Besides you, you mean?"

"Yes." Helga swallowed nervously.

"Of course not."

"But I…" The lump in her throat began to rise higher and higher. "I saw you with that woman...multiple times…"

Her voice kept trailing of uncertainly as she struggled to speak. She would never give up Hogwarts and her life teaching there. She could never give up her students, could never stop being the person they went to in the early hours of the morning if they needed to talk. But she wished that living her dream work would not come at a cost to her home life.

Her husband's eyes widened in recognition. She got up to apparate out. She didn't want to cry in front of him. _I've been yours since you carved my initials into your leg_.

A few hours later she found herself at Rowena's office, her trying not to drip snot into Rowena's books, and Rowena trying not to shout more than, "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to finish him like a tart!"


	12. Chapter 12

12\. Write your character in an AU situation (see the following list)*. - pirate au- "Tell me a story where everything works out in the end for the evil witch." - Cake

* * *

"Why are you so nice, damn it!" Salazar whispered. "We need to get the grail, not dilly dally making peace."

"Tell me a story where everything works out in the end for the evil witch," Helga scolded. "Being diplomatic is a virtue."

"Not when you're on a rendeveux mission!"

"I mean, we could…"

"I know where you're going with this, and no. We're getting the stolen artifacts and leaving immediately."

Helga sighed. "You know, if we didn't specialize in dealing with grave robbers, we wouldn't have to deal with sketchy tombs. If we hadn't told the queen to recruit us as pirates maybe we wouldn't have to be up at these odd hours in the night. _Maybe_ if-"

"Hey, I always have good ideas!"

"Right."


	13. Chapter 13

13\. Write your character having a verbal or physical disagreement with another woman, on whatever situation you choose. - "A dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste." - Steel Magnolias

Helen shook her head in disapproval at the dress that Rowan was wearing. "Way too short. And it's red? Too raunchy."

"Helen." Rowan sounded almost peeved.

"What?"

"I didn't ask for your opinion. A dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste. We're going clubbing, not to the nunnery."

Well, Helen thought, Rowan was right when it came to those facts. "You're normally so studious, Rowan."

"A girl can live in all worlds, the depraved and the ambitious." Helen was sure that Rowan winked.

"Yes, but…"

"But what?"

Helen stared at the wall, twisting her long sweater between her hands.

Rowan took a step closer. "Like I sleep around?"

Helen didn't say anything.

"I wish you wouldn't put this toxic opinion on me, Helen. I feel good in this dress. The respect I should get does not depend the fabric I put on my limbs."

"I don't think I want to go out tonight." Helen bit her lip nervously.

"Okay, I want to. See you later." When Rowan left the room, Helen felt as if the temperature had fallen to freezing.


	14. Chapter 14

14\. nearing/at the end of their life. happy with the choices they made? - "Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it." - Brave

"I feel the tiredness in my bones," Helga said.

"I know," her granddaughter whispered. "Rest. You've lived long."

"Not yet. Bring in my students, if you could?"

"Are you sure you want them to see you?"

Helga knew what was meant by that statement. She must look horribly sick. But being two centuries old sometimes does that to a person. As the doors opened to the infirmary, the light from the hallway streamed in too, wrapping her students in an angelic glow. She could almost see the other side.

Hufflepuff's head boy and girl were able to wiggle their way to the front. Helga took their hands in hers. "I loved teaching you all. I don't regret a thing. How are you all doing?"

She was met with a few sniffly, "good"s.

"What are we going to do when you're gone?" a small student asked. "You always gave such good advice and you're still the best at charms."

Helga chuckled. "You'll know what to do. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it."


End file.
